Sixtysix Issue 04

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2020 issue of Sixtysix magazine. 

Opening this issue is one of Ronan Bouroullec’s beautiful signature drawings. We sat down with both Ronan and his brother, Erwan, in their Paris studio for a peek into their design world. Together the French brothers are juggling a multitude of projects, creating objects and breaking them down only to reimagine them better than before, leaving their mark on the industry as they go.

This issue also took us to the new Roborace headquarters in Los Angeles with Chief Creative Officer Daniel Simon, who has big plans to transform driving, autonomous vehicles and all. Likely best known as the vehicle concept designer for Tron: Legacy, Captain America: The First Avenger—or, to car fanatics, for his concept car book Cosmic Motors (2007)—Daniel told me how he envisions the future of automotive design.

In Tokyo, design great Naoto Fukasawa invited us into his studio, a space clad in black and white. He likes to keep things uncomplicated, he said. Much like his office, Naoto takes a similar approach to design. “I keep everything simple,” he explained. “Like haiku. You don’t say things directly. You evoke emotion. You bring out nuance.” 

Then there’s Tom Dixon, who, from hotels and restaurants to furniture and candles, has designed just about everything—and he’s still not done. The prolific designer sees design as an infinite landscape. Tom tells us what he wants to tackle next.

Similarly, for graphic designer Na Kim, medium doesn’t matter. Na pushes past the 2D constraints of graphic design, turning her ideas into something conceptual with her signature use of fundamental colors and shapes. 

Tucked in the Montana mountains, French photographer Alex Strohl has made the scenic, often snowy, hideaway his home. But in his work, he travels the backroads of far-off places to capture quiet moments of adventure. We caught up with Alex about forgoing photography standards and creating an alternate lifestyle.

In this issue we also speak with interior designer Fran Hickman, author Emily St. John Mandel, and contemporary art and vintage dealer Rhett Baruch, then travel to Mexico City to explore. We also get an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek into the creative processes at OFS, Landscape Forms, Rejuvenation, and more.

Although this issue was completed remotely, we’re thrilled with how it turned out. As Naoto Fukasawa told us, “You should be happy, or it is difficult to design.”

Enjoy!

Chris Force, editor-in-chief